


Pool Side

by Writerwithagoal



Series: Jily Challenge Series [5]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Gaining perspective, Pool, Slow Burn, Unrequited Crush, summertime
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 16:20:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11695383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Writerwithagoal/pseuds/Writerwithagoal
Summary: Lily is the summer poolgirl for the Potters. She is staying in their guest house, and have been promised a fairly quiet summer. All she has to keep an eye on is her employers sons and their friends. What could happen?





	Pool Side

June 2, 2017

 

                Lily had just finished unpacking in the pool house of her employer’s estate and sighed happily. Looking around the house she was happy with the way she’d set up her living space for the next three months. She’d been hired by the Potters to be their summer pool girl and it had worked out perfectly. She didn’t have to back to Newcastle for the summer and could stay closer to the professors at her university in case she had an issue on her summer course work.

Humming she pulled out a notepad and started to jot down what she needed for the kitchenette, there was a surprising amount of alcohol but little of anything else. Mrs. Potter had told her that she would have to stock the kitchenette herself but the wage allowed for that. She was making 180 a day just for watching what she assumed was going to be a mostly empty pool and work on her thesis.

                “Excuse me, what are you doing here?” came a voice from behind her causing the good mood to completely disappear.

                “Jesus Mary and Joseph!” Spinning Lily pushed her hair out of her face and stared at the man standing behind her. “Have you ever heard of knocking, Christ.”

                “Considering my parents own this guest house I never thought about it,” he held out his hand smiling at her in a way that made the anger at being startled quickly disappear. “I’m James Potter.”

                “Oh, shoot I’m so sorry I shouldn’t have shouted at you. I’m Lily, your mom and dad hired me to manage the pool for the summer,” she took his outstretched hand and smiled at him feeling incredibly stupid for shouting at the boss’s son.

                “No harm done, I just saw the Focus in the drive and came over to investigate. It’s nice to meet the girl that mum was raving about to dad the other day.

                “Well I’m just a simple college student who applied for a job nothing remarkable about me.”

                “I mean I figured you weren’t a superhero,” he paused pushing his glasses up his nose and smiling at her, “I mean if you are that’s fantastic and my brother will be thrilled.”

                “Wait brother? Mr and Mrs Potter only mentioned one son.” She was confused because she hadn’t found mention of a second son when she’d researched the family either.

                “He’s not actually my brother but his parents threw him out when we were in secondary school and we took him in.” James leaned back against the door frame and looked around the guest house smiling at her. “You’ve made this guest house look even better than mum’s interior decorator did.”

                Lily looked around the room eyebrows raised as she took in the minute and simple adjustments she’d made to fit her lifestyle just slightly better. She had moved some of the cushions from the west facing window to the east and shifted the large chair closer to the fire place that she was sure she’d need at some point considering while summers in Western England could be lovely they could also be cold. “I didn’t change that much, just placed candles and my books around the house so I’d feel more like it was my space.”

                “Well it suits this guest house, very well. You are making it a home not just a building, we never really use it for anything as most guests stay in the main house.” He said shifting as he ran his fingers through his hair, already a bit of a disaster his fingers running through his shaggy black hair didn’t help at all. Not that she was noticing his hair, or anything about his hair for that matter.

                “Right thanks, well I’m off to the grocer so I guess I’ll see you whenever.” She smiled and slipped around him her list and her purse in hand. Without looking behind at the boy standing gobsmacked in her doorway she slipped into her Focus and drove off to the nearest Tesco’s. Totally, not thinking about the son of her employers at all.

 

                “You never mentioned that your mum hired such a fit bird to manage the pool this year, is she trying to drive you crazy?” Sirius’ voice came through the door to the bathroom where James was currently taking his morning shower.

                “Sirius, she is just a girl and if you make her uncomfortable she will quit and then Mum and Dad will be pissed and close our pool for the summer which is ridiculous because we’re both adults who can handle swimming in a pool.” James threw the door to the shower open, his glasses in hand as he held the towel around his waist.

                “Mate I was simply making an observation that mum has clearly also made, she’s a fit girl who isn’t anything at all like your last ex.” Sirius said holding his hands up in mock surrender. Sirius had his long black hair pulled into a topknot and his outfit screamed rebel with the black skinny jeans and a tired Doors shirt. “Ooooh, what if she’s super smart, mum was lamenting to Dad last night that you seem to attract a certain type of woman,” he added a twinkle in his eye as he moved out of his brother’s way to his bedroom, “think about that, mom setting you up with the pool girl.”

                “If she was super smart she would not be working as our summer pool girl the only university under an hour drive is Oxford and I’d know if we were going to the same school.” James said shaking his head as he shut the door on his overly nosey brother. “Trust me if she went to Oxford I would have definitely noticed her,” he muttered to himself as he got dressed, absolutely not thinking about the fact Lily was probably sitting in front of the pool in a suit right this second.

                Lily was not out by the pool when James walked down to the kitchen to grab his toast and egg from his mother. His mother was the perfect likeness of a professional woman Monday through Friday, but on weekends she tended to allow herself to relax. Euphemia was making breakfast in worn jeans and a simple shirt. James loved spending his mornings catching up with his mother. She worked in London often home only on the weekends. She chose to spend weeks closer to the office. “Hey mum how are you this morning?”

                “I’m well James, eggs are done and toast will be done in a moment,” she smiled at her son. James was more like his father than her on his best days, and watching her son scrub at his eyes while looking out the kitchen window towards the guest house he was a spitting image of his father. “You know she already cleaned the pool, if you’d been up earlier you would have seen her.” Euphemia smirked as her son scoffed and shrugged.

                Though he almost chocked on his tea trying to ignore his mother’s comment about trying to find the new pool girl. James felt heat rising on his neck and cheeks letting him know that his mother’s statement had in fact gotten to him. Clearing his throat, he turned to his mother eyebrow raised in mock insult. “I’m surprised you’re here, considering Da commented that he’d be going to Dorset for the weekend at the beach house.”  
                “I’m leaving in an hour to join your father young man, I just wanted to see you and Sirius before I left you guys all alone with a woman you don’t know,” she said placing two plates filled with food on the table just as Sirius waltzed in his eyes round and excitement radiating off of him.

                “Morning Mum, hope we didn’t keep you from your romantic weekend with Dad,” Sirius said placing a kiss to Euphemia’s cheek before grabbing a cup from the shelf, and filling it with his tea.

                “Nonsense, the romance doesn’t start till I get there so he’ll be fine,” Euphemia’s voice filled with innocence and sarcasm resulted in gagging sounds from her two adult sons. “Seriously children, you brought it up, what did you think I was going to say?”

                “Not that, Christ ma, you and da??” James shuddered at the thought of his mother and father bumping nasties in the beach house. Tucking into his breakfast he smiled at his mother and shook his head, “Absolutely horrid behaviour.”

                “Nah I think it’s great that they can keep the flame going at their age.” Sirius said laughing as his mother gasped in shock and threw the dish towel at him. “Oh, come on mum, it’s not like you were a nun what with having a son and all.”

                “I’ll remind you that I didn’t need to have sex with your father to get you and yet here you are and I’m grateful every day,” she said reaching over the kitchen table and held his hand tightly. Sirius felt his eyes moisten and squeezed back smiling at his adoptive mother and then cleared his throat tucking into his breakfast. Clearing her own throat Euphemia looked at both of her sons and smiled. “So, a few ground rules about Lily-” she held up a hand to stop the interruptions starting “-yes you two need ground rules, there will be no flirting or making the young woman uncomfortable. You will treat her with respect and she has evenings off unless I tell her that she needs to manage the pool during a party. She is a bright girl and you will both treat her with respect and civility.”

                “Yes Mum,” both boys said eerily similar to two school children being scolded for a crime they had yet to commit. Standing up from the table Euphemia smiled at her children and grabbed her purse. “I’ll see you guys next weekend don’t break the house while were gone and tell Remus that I hope the treatments are helping more now. Let Peter know I wish him luck at his new job.”

 

                Lily was having a fantastic day; her boss had let her know that she’d probably only have to keep the pool clean this week unless her sons and their friends came by for the weekend. She had gotten up at four cleaned the pool, made a cuppa and then settled into her summer course work. By a little after ten her boss had bid her farewell and sped off for a romantic weekend with her husband. Lily had changed from her jumper and shorts into her bikini and shorts. This summer was starting unusually warm and it was 29 degrees outside. Grabbing her latest book, phone and headphones, she slipped her black flip flops on. Seeing no one outside she grabbed her water bottle by the door and walked out to the pool patio. Settling in a lounge chair she slipped her sunglasses over her eyes and sighed happily. Within minutes she was asleep the early morning catching up with her.  

 

                “Lily. Lily?” a distant voice broke through her dream startling her awake.

                “Jesus Mary and Joseph!” She shot up clutching her chest. Looking around for the source of her sudden return to the world. Standing around her were James and two boys she didn’t recognize.

                “Sorry, we just wanted to let our glorious lifeguard know that we’re about to get into the pool,” the one with the top knot said hands holding a stack of towels.

                “I’m only here as a certified lifesaver and pool cleaner, you don’t have to tell me when you’re getting into the water,” she grumbled sitting up and realizing she was wearing only a pair of shorts and a revealing bikini top.

                “Right well from now on we’ll just bother you when one of us is dying, sorted?” asked top knot smirking down at her before dropping the towels and back flipping into the pool. James just shrugged and followed suit diving in after his friend.

                “Sorry Sirius wanted to splash you awake, but we convinced him that it would be a better plan if we woke you gently,” the other boy left standing said calmly, shaking his head at his friend’s antics, “I’m Remus, resident sane person.”

                “Sirius reminds me a lot of my friend Marlene, she’s an absolute menace. Thank you for saving me from waking up dripping.” She held out her hand for him to shake and smiled up at him. “I’m Lily Evans, resident red head I guess.”

                Taking the laughter, she pulled from Remus as a good sign, she stood picked up the towels and then placed them on the table farthest from the pool. Pulling her hair back and up, she sat back down and opened her book. She was rereading War and Peace for pleasure after the semester length project she’d done on it the year before. Lily figured that rather than let a horrible group project ruin a good book she should take the time to read it properly.

                “Tolstoy huh?” Remus said sitting in the lounge chair near her.

                “Yep, I had to read it for a course and now I’m giving it a chance post course to be enjoyable, so far so good.” Lily said glancing at Remus who was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, “You aren’t going into the pool?”

                “No, I’m not much for swimming when it’s only 20◦,” Remus answered pulling at his shirt as he offered Lily a small smile. “What about you? Are you going swimming today?”

                “Ah now that’s the perk of having to clean it, I’ve already gone swimming now I’m just working on getting some reading in before one of these two drowns,” she said gesturing towards James and Sirius who were wrestling in the shallow end.

                “That makes sense, are you working for Mr and Mrs. Potter all summer?” he looked sincerely curious about what her plans were. Returning his soft smile, she replaced her bookmark and turned to face him properly.

                “I am I’m from Newcastle, but I’m going to be a senior at Oxford in the fall so I needed a job that would allow me to stay nearby and being forty minutes away isn’t the worse commute I could be making.” She paused shrugging her shoulders and looking at Remus, he looked little pale and thinner compared to the other guys.

                “Ah that makes sense, I’m surprised I haven’t seen you around Oxford though. Me and James go there and James’ brother goes to Cambridge with our other best friend Peter. Peter has a summer internship but he’ll be here on Saturday and in August. James and I are going to be seniors this fall as well,” Remus looked at her thoughtfully before clearing his throat, “what is your field of study?”

                “Wow small world though with what I know of Mr and Mrs Potter their sons can’t be stupid. I’m surprised we’ve never run into each other before. Though it’s a huge school, I’m in the History and English program which allows me to focus on my passions; reading and history. How about you what are you studying?”

                “I’m in the classics department, mainly the archaeology part. These programs are in the same building we must have been just missing each other-” Remus broke off coughs racking his body and he doubled over. Lily jumped up grabbing her glass of water. Pushing it into his hands she smiled at him as she rubbed his back. James and Sirius were swimming back over as fast as they could. Sirius looking particularly worried about Remus hacking.

                “Lily can you excuse us, Remus, you said you were feeling better,” Sirius was crouching in front of Remus dripping wet and helping his friend take in slow deep breaths.

                “Sirius, be nice, she’s fine. I have cancer Sirius there are degrees of feeling better,” Remus said his quiet voice gravely and rough.

                “I’ll go get your meds and some water, Lily help me?” James said standing to the side slightly looking at the red head who had taken many steps back when Sirius had jumped from the pool.

                “Uh what? Oh yes, I’ll come help you. I’ll get water for us all,” she said following James towards the main house. They walked in relative silence through the lawn and into the kitchen. Lily had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from gasping. The kitchen was huge, her mother would kill for a kitchen like this. Standing by the door she looked at James who looked tired and worn as he moved around the kitchen collecting three different pill bottles.

                “If it’s not too much of an invasive question what kind of cancer does he have, my dad had brain cancer it was horrible,” she bit her lip to keep from rambling as she stepped forward and took his silent direction on where to find the water pitcher and glasses. Along the way she kept glancing over at him as she bit the inside of her lip trying to find a way to get him to smile.

                “Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, he was diagnosed in our first year of sixth form at Westminster though he beat the odds then and he’ll beat them now,” James was speaking so softly Lily had to turn and look at him to make sure he was actually speaking.

                “I’m sorry that’s horrible, can I ask what stage?” She was stacking the glasses and holding a full water pitcher.

                “May I ask did your dad,” James shook his head scrunching his noses to push his glasses up, “did he make it?”

                Lily appreciated the question and shook her head, “he passed my first year at Oxford, my sister still hasn’t forgiven me that I didn’t drop out of university to come back and run the family café.”

                They fell back into the silence from before, James looked out the window and sighed, walking to the door he held it for Lily. Nodding in thanks she led the way back to the pool patio. Sirius was rubbing circles over Remus’ back keeping him taking slow breaths and he kept checking his pulse. Lily offered a small smile and set the glasses on a table before pouring a glass and handing it Remus who took it gratefully.

                Once it looked like it was sorted she offered a small smile and walked over to her apartment glancing back once to see James and Sirius crouched around Remus talking amongst themselves. They looked like quite the unit. She pulled her phone out to see three new texts from her phone. They were all from numbers she didn’t remember putting into her phone. Opening them up she started chuckling. She didn’t have a lock on her phone and the boys seemed to have taken advantage about that. The texts were all from contacts which she would never have given them. Sirius was Padfoot, James was Prongs, and Remus was Moony. The only reason she knew that was who each person was from their ridiculous contact photos.

                {Text: Padfoot} Thanks for the help Red.

                {Text: Lily} Glad I could help let me know if you guys need anything else.

               

                {Text: Prongs} Hey we hacked your phone. Thanks for the help. Sirius is an idiot ignore him.

                {Text: Lily} Nah I was happy to help, hope Remus is feeling better. What are you talking about?

                {Text: Prongs} FML! He’s currently well enough to laugh at me. Forget I said anything.

 

{Text: Moony} We should hang out tomorrow if you aren’t busy with course work and thanks for getting me the water.

{Text: Lily} I think that sounds nice, just no more pushing yourself past your limit.

{Text: Remus} I do what I want.

 

{Text: Padfoot} No he doesn’t! This is to complicated I’m adding you to our summer bros group chat.

{Text: Lily} I’ve always wanted to be a bro. Thanks.

 

Lily laughed and hooked her phone up to the charger shaking her head as she moved around the

the house lighting candles and turning on the light in the kitchen. Setting out to make a quick curry she smiled as she turned on Spotify to her personal playlist and started to cook. It was only four in the afternoon but she was happy with what she’d gotten through today.

 

June 24, 2017

 

                Lily woke up early the sun wasn’t even up yet as she pulled a loose knit jumper over her one piece and her shorts. In the last three weeks, she’d settled into a very easy going routine she got up early cleaned the pool, got a few laps in before spinning around and getting her semester reading done and out of the way. She had outlines for every book, and for proper text books she had chapter outlines with questions she thought that they’d probably ask her. It was early 5:00 she had made three lovely friends with the boys of the house, and their mate Peter who came as often as he could or met the guys in London for Remus’ check-ups.

                Lily was looking around the pool, she kept it clean and the fact that no trees were nearby made her job extremely easy. Stripping out of her jumper and shorts, glancing around Lily walked to the deep end and dove in. She surfaced and started doing her first set of laps deciding on breast stroke first. After a few laps, she switched to free. She was so caught up in her swimming that she didn’t notice that she had company until she was reaching for her towel at the edge of the pool and it was handed to her. Looking up she blushed as she came face to face with a cup of tea.

                “I didn’t know how you take it so the fixings are on the patio table,” James was standing there his hair an absolute disaster and his glasses low on his nose. Smiling down at the soaking red head he held out a hand to help her out of the pool. Lily grinned when she realized that he didn’t have anything on him but his shorts and shirt.

                “Where’s your phone?” she asked slyly looking up at him eyes the wide picture of innocence.

                “Back in my room, I forgot to put it on the charger,” he asked raising an eye as he started to pull his arm back.

 Sadly James wasn’t as quick as a woman on a mission, she grabbed his hand and since he was off balance standing there she easily pulled him right into the pool. James came up for air sputtering as he looked at the minx in front of him. Well he would have if he could see. In the fall, his glasses had fallen off. Lily bit her lip and slipped under the surface of the water and picked them up. Swimming back to the surface she stood up.

                “I’m so sorry I didn’t think you’d lose these,” she said leaning up to slip his glasses up his nose.

She bit her lip in concentration as she slid closer to him so as not to stab him in the eye with the frame of his glasses. His hands reached down to steady her, inadvertently pulling her closer to him. Smiling at him she slipped them on. Pushing them up his nose she became acutely aware just how close they were. Her hands slid through his wet hair and down his neck resting on his shoulders. This close to his face she could tell that the eyes she’d considered blue from a distance were a very hazel hue. Worrying her lip, she looked at him sliding down his front so her feet were flat on the bottom of the pool she sighed leaning back into him. Lily had her hands on his shoulders.

James was blinking because although his glasses were on his face, they were covered in water droplets. He applied a slight pressure to her hips pulling her in closer as he gazed down at them. She had the worlds best green eyes he was sure of that. They were sparkling as they stared up at him wide and searching for something he wasn’t quite sure. He pulled her closer and started to lean down looking at her. As he got closer she seemed to snap out of it. Placing her finger against his lips she shook her head.

“We can’t, I work for your mother it would be highly inappropriate,” she said softly regret in her voice as she looked at him shaking her head. She liked James, he made her laugh, he was kind, caring, could cook. He checked all her boxes and yet he was the son of her employer. It would be highly inappropriate to date him.

“Right, that would be inappropriate.” James cleared his throat and took a step back. Offering her a smile he pulled himself out of the pool and walked back towards the main house. James was let down and at the same time respected her even more now. Sure, she was a fucking bombshell but she had a set of morals and ethics that astounded him. If he was honest the way she saw the world and the kindness she brought to it, was what drew him towards her. Sure, her intelligence and her passion for reading, history and movies were a plus but her heart was the real draw.

Remus was standing in the kitchen looking sheepishly inconspicuous as he leaned against the counter by the window facing towards the stairs. He was holding a mug of tea as he looked at James. James gave him a look and just shook his head, he wasn’t having this not right now. Sirius and Remus had been together since they started university they didn’t get how hard it was to find someone who interested him the way Sirius and Remus were fascinated in each other. Remus shrugged and held out the mug and offered a small smile. “I spiked it with Jameson.”

James started laughing as he took a sip of the alcoholic tea and leaned against the counter next to Remus. The two young men sat in silence looking at nothing for a while, the thought of rejection and of hopelessness hanging between them. When Sirius came downstairs they were still hanging out silently in the kitchen.

 

July 20th 2017

 

                Lily and James had struggled for a couple of weeks before falling back into old habits. The missed moment from June still hung between them when there was a lull in the conversation but for the most part it was comfortable. Lily was now lounging on the patio wearing a sun dress over her bathing suit as she picked up her next book. She was smiling to herself as she opened Sense and Sensibility for the hundredth time in her life.

                “Fancy a drink?” came James from behind her as she craned her neck to look at him smiling as she took the offered glass of Rock Shandy. Lily shifted so she had a better view of him as he moved to sit in the chair next to him.

                “Thanks, you didn’t have to I have some in the guest house. But, I appreciate the thought.”

“Well we were interrupted last night during our conversation so I was hoping we could pick up were we left off last night,” he answered taking his glasses off to clean them on his shirt as he avoided looking directly at her.

“Our conversation on the state of the free world as we know it?” she asked amused that James who was studying biochemistry and medicine was also fascinated with politics and social movements.

                “Okay maybe not continue that dark conversation but, you know I like talking with you. You bring an unfamiliar perspective to things. My dad comes from a wealthy family who have always done big things, and my mums just brilliant at the law. I know money, I went to school with money. I don’t always understand the other side of things. The perspective that the game isn’t fair…” he trailed off fingering the arm of his glasses frame as he spoke.

                “So I’m your poor perspective on life?” she asked raising an eyebrow her voice soft and serious conveying that she was offended with what he had said.

                “No! You aren’t that at all you’re just-” James broke off running a hand angrily through his hair slipping his glasses on and looking directly at her, “-you see the world in a different lens of experience than I can ever see and it makes these conversations interesting.”

                Lily was biting her lip and hiding her face behind her glass, he was flustered and embarrassed at making her angry. It was the most attractive thing that Lily had ever seen on a guy. Reaching out she patted him on the hand and offered him a smile as she started laughing out right. “I was just teasing James I understood what you meant, I’m sorry I teased you.”

                James just stared at her as though she’d grown two heads. “You’re not mad at me?”

                Lily started laughing harder at the question and shook her head. James wagged a finger at Lily and stood up from his chair walking closer as he did.  
                “It’s really mean to tease a bloke about things like that,” he said before scooping her up and tossing her dress and all into the pool. He was standing out of reach so that she couldn’t pull him in after her but was wary that she was crafty. Two months had taught him to beware an angry Lily. When she came up sputtering and glaring at him he burst into laughter. She looked like a drowned flame her wet hair glowing in the sun. “Wet Evans?”

                “You’re a prick Potter and now I’m actually not happy with you, I think you just broke my phone,” she said holding up a soaking wet Samsung phone. The smile that had been on James face disappeared and he swore reaching out to help her out of the pool. Lily let him pull her out and shook her hair out getting him wet in the process.

                “Lily I am so sorry about this, I shouldn’t have thrown you into the pool. It was dumb and immature of me,” he said looking at her, fear flooding his hazel eyes. James took the phone and checked to see if he could get the back off. Upon realizing that it was a closed phone he swore again. “I’ll replace this, I broke it I’ll replace it.” He was pulling his own phone out to check if the closest store was open when Lily placed a hand on his arm trying to get his attention.

                “James, I have insurance on my phone. It’s covered and I’m due for an upgrade anyway, maybe I’ll try that fancy Samsung 8+ with their waterproof feature,” she said smiling at him as she took her phone back and slipped into her dress pocket. “Honestly, it’s not the worse way I’ve broken a phone in the past decade, it’s fine really.

                “Will you at least allow me to buy you lunch today,” he asked stepping closer. Their feet were touching and Lily could smell his aftershave. It was so uniquely him that it caused her cheeks to flush quickly as she looked up at him. As she opened her mouth to answer she paused and that was her mistake.

                “Lunch I’m in,” came a loud obnoxious voice from behind them, “oh wait Remus are we interrupting something?” Sirius and Remus were walking onto the pool deck

                “You know Sirius I think that we are,” Remus said winking at James as he moved slowly allowing Sirius to lead him toward the lounge chair. “I think a lunch outing with us all would be wonderful,” Remus said continuing to milk the uncomfortable and grumpy look on James’ face. “What do you say Evans, fancy joining me and these knobheads for lunch?”

                Lily for her credit was struggling very hard not to laugh and looked from each boy to the next and nodded. She had taken a few steps back when Sirius and Remus had interrupted them but the blush was still staining her cheeks. “Yea that sounds lovely.”

 

August 27th 2017

 

                James and Lily had settled into a familiar and calm friendship, her phone had come quickly all shiny and new. She’d opted for the S8+ and was quite happy with her choice. He’d left her a gift of a case on her stoop after the phone had arrived. They hadn’t talked about it again. As he walked through the downstairs of his house from the west side of the building towards the main kitchen he heard female voices growing louder the closer he got to the kitchen door. Pausing he steeled himself and slipped in. Sitting at the kitchen island were his mother and Lily talking about life.

                “Oh! Morning darling,” his mother said passing him a mug of tea just as he liked it. Grinning gratefully, he looked at Lily and smiled. “Lily was just telling me about the fun you boys and she have been having this summer.”

                “Really, I thought for sure we were driving her absolutely crazy,” James said sipping his tea as he raised an eyebrow at Lily over his mother’s shoulder.

                “Well between driving me crazy we had some fun,” Lily said covertly hiding behind her face she took a drink and then smiled at her employer. “How have you and Mr Potter been, we haven’t seen you both all summer?”

                Euphemia chuckled and shifted so she could see both James and Lily who were both avoiding each other’s gaze. “We’ve been good Lily, thank you for asking. Busy and Fleamont surprised me with a trip to Italy in July for three weeks. It was a marvellous holiday.” She glanced at James and he just shook his head. She was only home for the weekend, then off to a conference in Germany for a week or two, but she wanted a chance to talk to her son. “I meant to say that the pool and patio have never looked so clean, so thank you Lily for taking care of that for us. We greatly appreciate it.”

                Lily grinned at her employer and took that moment to stand up, “You’re very welcome Mrs. Potter, the company helped. I have a meeting with my faculty advisor on campus in Oxford though so I should be off.”

                “Have a wonderful day Lily I hope that we’ll see each other before I head out on Sunday evening,” Mrs Potter said pulling the petite red head into a large hug.

                “See you later Evans,” James called out as he raised a hand in a wave as she extracted herself graciously from his mother’s hug.

 

                Once Lily was out of the house and there was a calm quiet between his mother and himself he looked at his mum. She was tall and willowy nothing like his father though to be fair if they had been similar it would have been a little weird. James looked at his mum and groaned, she was wearing her I’ve noticed that you’ve been misbehaving smirk. “Mum before you say anything I haven’t broken any rules or disrespected Lily in any way. Hell even Sirius has been a perfect gentleman to her and he’s as gay as they come. It’s not like we think Evans isn’t attractive, she’s cool, kind, wicked smart, she’s a great mate.”

                Euphemia didn’t say anything in response to her sons outburst and just sipped her tea as he dug himself into a deeper hole. She had noticed upon getting in that Lily was skittish about how the boys had behaved, saying that they were gentlemen who were kind to her. She had even mentioned that she had made some great friends. She’d referred to them in the plural never naming any of the boys by name. Going even so far as to avoid their names all together. “Son I don’t think she’s a mate at all, in fact I think you like her.”

                “Mum don’t be daft, we aren’t dating and Lily doesn’t see me like that at all so she’s really just a mate,” he said his cheeks flushing as he looked at the floor. Tracing the tile beneath him with his eyes. Avoiding his mothers gaze.

                “Sirius has already caved and told me everything, the moping, the pinning he’s told me all of it,” she said trying to keep from laughing as he balked at her. He shook his head and looked away from her. Euphemia sighed and walked over to her son who was leaning against the counter of the kitchen and glaring into his tea. “I think that she’s a lovely young woman who would be lucky to date you. She’s not like the girls you normally cycle through. Lily has a strong moral compass.” She patted him on his shoulder and searched her son’s hazel eyes. “Why haven’t you asked her out, you’ve never been shy before.”

                “She won’t date me, because she’s working for you. She said it was ‘inappropriate’ for her to date her employer’s son,” James said sighing as he looked at his mother rejection clear on his face. “The worst part is that makes me respect her even more, that she values the trust and responsibility that you’ve placed on her so much that she won’t risk ruining that by dating me.” James slumped back against the counter and placed his mug in the sink. “She’s so kind mum, she’s smart and really funny. Sirius has finally met his match with her, everything that gets thrown at her she takes it in stride. She’s never sad or mopey. She’s got a smile that lights up the entire estate with her positive energy.”

                “Well her last day is the 10th of September so how about you ask her out then,” Euphemia said slowly. She wasn’t sure how Lily felt about her son but the crush her son had on the pool girl was undeniable. For her credit she did owe her other son 100 pounds for calling this on their first weekend away. “I think that if you don’t go for it James you’ll regret it and I hate to see you regret things at all,”

 

September 10th 2017

 

                “What do you plan to do after college?” she asked they were lounging in the grass near the patio staring up at the stars. Sirius and Remus had gone into the house to grab jumpers and blankets to bring out as the night air had gotten cooler.

                “I am going to continue on with medicine, I’m going to find a cure for cancer,” the finality in James voice was breath-taking. You could see him conquering the herculean task he’d set for himself, and Lily leaned up and looked at him eyebrows raised.

                “That’s no small feat James, but I commend you for your dedication to finding a cure for such a horrible disease,” she said grinning down at him.

                “What about you Evans, what are you planning on doing after Oxford. Where are your passions taking you?” he asked reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

                “I’m going to go on and get my masters and doctorate in teaching and literature theory,” she said softly a blush staining her cheeks as she leaned backdown to stare up at the stars. “I want to show kids that they can love literature just as much as anything else and that it actually is a career to pursue in the world. I want to get more funding for scholarships for students who chose to study the arts or the English in university.” Lily bit her lip realizing that she was rambling as she sneaked a glance at James.

                “I think that’s a brilliant passion, sounds absolutely brilliant to me, you’ll get there. I have no doubt you’ll succeed,” he said softly turning on his side so that he was looking at her not at the sky though in his opinion the view in this direction was highly superior. “Lily can I ask you a question?” he asked his voice soft and hesitant.

                “Of course, James we’re friends you can ask me anything,” she said shifting onto her side so she was facing him. Her green eyes wide as she searched his face. “What’s on your mind?”

                “I don’t think I’ve been very good about keeping my feelings to myself but I think that I should make them clear so that there is no misunderstandings here-” he cleared his throat “-Lily I fancy you. I don’t think I’ve ever fancied a girl more, and it’s driven me absolutely crazy this summer. Will you go out with me Lily Evans?”

                “James.” Lily was stunned on the list of things that she thought he was going to ask her, this should have been first but she’d convinced herself that he’d gotten over this crush of his. “I work for your mother.”

                “Today was your last day of working for my mother, you’re moving back into your apartment in Oxford in two days, please just give me a chance.” He had sat up no cross legged as he looked down at her. “Is the thought of dating me really that horrendous?”

                “No, James no. I’m sorry I just,” she paused and tried to collect her thoughts as her cheeks flushed in the dark, “your right I’m done working for your mother after today but we’re going off in different directions after June.”

                “June is so far off Lily and we can cross that bridge when we get to it,” he snapped his hand running through his hair as he let out a noise of frustration. “You know you can just say no right.”

                “That’s not fair!” she didn’t get any more out than that as he pulled her into a kiss. His lips were softer than she’d dare to dream they could be. He was gentle with an underlying thread of urgency as though he thought she’d disappear before he could finish kissing her.

                “Go out on one date with me and we’ll sort the rest of this out after,” he asked his forehead pressed against hers as they separated from the kiss.

                “James I really don’t know if this is a good idea, what if you decide it was just a summer infatuation?” her voice quiet almost too quiet as she took a few deep breaths.

                “I have never felt this way about another girl in my life Lily Elizabeth Evans, I highly doubt that I’ll ever grow bored with you.” He slid his fingers between hers and gently kissed her one last time before standing up. “See you tomorrow?”

                Lily was dumbfounded, she had never received a love confession like this. This was real life, it wasn’t one of her great romances. Those declarations of love only existed in fiction where the author was starved for a love of her own. As she watched him walk back to the house she decided that she’d leave that night. Never let it be said that Lily Evans was brave. Her things packed and a small note written on the counter she sped off heading for her apartment on the Oxford campus.

               

 

                The next morning James knocked on the door to the guest house as he waited he noticed that her key was taped to the door. Confused he turned the handle finding the door unlocked he walked slowly into the guest house. It was dark and the little things that had made the space Lily’s were missing. He flicked the switch by the door and noticed a piece of paper on the counter. Picking it up he groaned, she’d run.

               

                _Dear James._

_I never ever thought of myself as a coward until you told me that you loved me and well, here we are. I’ve gone back to school. I hope that you can forgive me and forget about me. I’m sorry for running away. You deserve someone who is brave enough to talk about their feelings honestly. That person isn’t me and I doubt it will ever be me._

_Lily_

 

October 30th 2017

 

                Lily was rushing through campus; her morning had started roughly. She’d overslept after being up all-night working in the library’s research department on a new transcript. It was half past 10 and she had a presentation across campus in ten minutes. Her bag on her shoulder she had slipped trainers on before throwing her heels into her bag.

She was glad to be back at school, after the last night at the Potters she’d fled without giving a proper goodbye. If she was honest it was better this way. They hadn’t run into each other in three years, it wasn’t like they’d run into each other now. Her apartment on campus had been available by the 5th of September, and she was glad to be able to be back with her best friends Marlene and Alice. Though the girls were still confused about what happened she hadn’t divulged anything from her summer. They figured that she’d met someone considering that she’d moped around the apartment for the first three weeks of school going from class to work, and then home without any breaks in between.

Lily was so caught up in her thoughts about the presentation that she wasn’t truly paying attention as she rounded a corner of the English department building and ran straight into a wall. Her bag, her ass and her elbows hit the ground with enough impact to knock the air from her lungs. Gasping for air, as she shook her head she looked up. Standing in her way was one very shocked James Potter. His backpack was over his shoulder and he was staring down at her gobsmacked. Lily stood up hastily her face heating up as she slung her bag over her shoulder.

“You really do go here?” he asked, voice low as he ran a hand through his hair doing nothing but making it messier than it already was.

“I really do, guess we really have just been running in different circles,” she said softly her hands fidgeting with the end of her blazer. She was happy to see him she realized, it fit. She didn’t work for his parents anymore; the rules of propriety no longer applied. Opening her mouth at the same time as he did she laughed and shook her head.

“I’m sorry you go first,” Lily said grinning up at the bespeckled man standing in her way.

“Why’d you leave so quickly?” his tone was quiet and belied a feeling of vulnerability that he was trying hard not to show.

“It was the right thing to do, I needed to leave and gain some perspective,” she said honestly though she could feel her face flushing again.

“Did you find it, perspective that is?” he pulled his glasses off to clean them as he squinted at her. Lily smiled, he only made a point of cleaning his glasses when he was anxious about something or was deep in thought.

“I did though I figured I blew my chances at rectifying a very foolish mistake and well school is demanding,” she said honestly looking at him and pushing her hair behind her hair.

“You’re right about that, I’m only at this end of campus because I promised Remus that I would bring him lunch,” James said shrugging looking at her trying not to smile at how adorable she looked her cheeks bright pink and her nervous habits showing through.

“That’s nice of you, I had lunch with him last week. This latest batch of chemo really knocked him on his arse,” she said softly looking at her feet.

“But he’s a fighter and his spirits are better,” James finished for her reaching out to take her hand which was worrying the hem of her blazer, “so about that foolish mistake, run it by me maybe I can help?” His hand was warm and the way her fingers fit between his felt like the most perfect thing in the world.

“I think you just might be able too. You see I met this absolute dork of a gentleman this summer while I was working for this lovely couple in Godric’s Hollow. He was kind, sweet and funny, but he was the son of the couple I was working for. I knew he had feelings for me, and I for him but instead of acting on them I ran away when he asked me out at the end of my employment contract,” she said softly looking up at him worrying her bottom lip as she waited for him to say something.

“So, you’re telling me that you were scared?” he asked softly pulling her closer to him closing the gap between them as he looked down at her.

“Well scared isn’t the right word, but unsure,” Lily said intertwining her other hand with his as she stepped closer to him.

“Lily Elizabeth Evans you were scared and you shouldn’t lie about it, it’s okay though. I’ll let you in on a secret so was I,” James was looking at her as though the stars were shining around her head. Lily finally understood what Sirius had meant back in July.

“Except you asked me and I ran away,” she said leaning closer and shaking her head causing her hair to fall loose. James chuckled and pushed a stand of hair back behind her ear and shrugged.

“How about I ask you now? Would you run away?” he was serious and looked at her eyebrow raised as she shifted slightly.

“Ask me and find out?” was all she said when he took a step back. Making a space between them.

“Lily will you go on a date with me?” he asked softly as though worried she would bolt. She could feel his hands tighten slightly on hers.

“You know James I think that would be the best thing for us both, put us pining idiots out of our misery,” she teased closing the gap as she leaned up on her tip-toes and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. Pulling away she searched his eyes and smiled as she watched a blush run across his face.

“I think that you’re correct it would be the best thing for us both.” he teased before pausing, “wait where were you going in such a hurry?” At his question, she glanced down at her wrist watch groaning inwardly. It was now ten past eleven and she had missed her presentation.

“I had a presentation in my 10:45 class, though I’ve missed it now.” She said sighing looking grumpy as she looked up at him. James was struggling not to laugh at the fact that even when clearly upset she looked beautiful.

“How about I get you a coffee and you can tell me all about this presentation you didn’t get to give,” he said making a sweeping gesture towards the campus coffee shop.

“I think that would be best for us both.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of the Jily July challenge and I am so so late. This was written in response to mrsprobie.tumblr.com brilliant piece. If you liked it leave me a comment or a kudos. Seriously though if you have the time leave a comment, I can't get better at this unless you guys comment about what you think I did well and what you think I crashed and burned on.


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